The hardest part of writing will most likely be different for different writers. Many, though, have a hard time getting started. These writers know they want to write a story. They may have a character in mind or an idea for a storyline. The problem is getting started. To actually sit and write a beginning,…
Tag: writing a story
Writing and Mountain Climbing
“Because the creation of a novel is akin to a mad scramble up a mountainside layered with loose pebbles, any handhold or solid ground you can find will be a blessing.” ~ Walter Mosley The article where I got this quote from (link below) deals with Mosley’s writing style which doesn’t include character sheets or…
Writing Elements – Is One More Important than Another?
There’s a lot of information on the elements of writing. You have characters, setting, point-of-view, style, theme, plot, and even literary devices. But you also have things like readability, consequences, and uniqueness. Could you choose which of these elements is the most important? It’s tough, isn’t it? Well, after doing some research and reading a…
Storytelling vs. Writing a Story
Is there a difference between storytelling and writing a story? Yes, there is. A children’s publisher commented on the difference between storytelling and writing. She explained that storytelling involves visual aids, whereas writing does not. Granted, children’s picture books do provide illustrations in the form of visual aids, but they are not the same as…
6 Tips to What Makes a Good Story
Contributed by Aaron Shepard Good writers often break rules—but they know they’re doing it! Here are some good rules to know. Theme A theme is something important the story tries to tell us—something that might help us in our own lives. Not every story has a theme, but it’s best if it does. Don’t get…
Create a Believable Protagonist with Realistic Characteristics
It’s noted that you should let the reader see your protagonist’s characteristics within the first few pages. This enables the reader to quickly identify with him. This connection will determine whether the reader turns the next page. Unless you’re writing fantasy or science fiction, your protagonist will have ordinary strengths (possibly extraordinary, but within the…
The Writing Elements Mix – Is There a Right Balance?
Writing can be thought of as a recipe, a handful of plot, a quarter cup of setting, a half cup of dialogue, and a half cup of action and forward movement. Then you also need to add just the right amount of theme, character, setting, and style. Stir it all together and bake for several…
Getting to Know Your Characters
I recently read a post about writing for children. It focused on the story’s characters. Basically, the post advised to create and know your characters inside and out before beginning the story. In fact, it suggested that the author build the story around the characters once they were fully developed. While this is good advice,…
Character Sheets – Adding Dimension to Your Protagonist
Connecting with a reader entails a couple of things, one of which is to have a fully developed protagonist. A crucial aspect of creating a real character is his/her interactions with the other characters in the story, and his/her reactions to external influences. These reactions to external surroundings or occurrences add layers to your protagonist….